All Templates Features

Query Database Table:
m-Power templates allow you to retrieve rows of data from one or more database tables or database views. Utilizing SQL statements, m-Power connects to your database and allows you to access the data via a web application.Back To Diagram

Ad Hoc Template Specific:
m-Power templates allow the end user to sort the data fetched from the database. Ascending or descending order can be controlled from the table heading by clicking the up or down arrows. To turn this feature on or off, access the application properties and select Yes or No for the advancedSort property.Back To Diagram

Format Numeric Data:
m-Power templates allow developers to easily modify the numeric format of fields to better suit your needs, directly from the interface. An example of this can be the use of a comma at the thousand decimal point: (2,000) or the inclusion of decimal digits: (2,000.00) From the application menu, click Field Settings. For numeric fields you will see a Numeric Field Format column, use the drop down to select the numeric format you need.Back To Diagram

Filter Via Record Selections:
Create hard-coded or user interactive filters based on specific criteria from your data. This feature allows users to filter the data to display only those records that match the selection criteria. Several options are available to create the relationship of the search, including "equal to, not equal to, is in the list, is in the range" and many more. Learn more.Back To Diagram

Add Multi-Tenant Security:
m-Power applications can be secured to allow different users to access the same application, but see different results, based on the user login credentials. One example of this can be a report that contains records of customers for all the States in the USA, but the user will only work with the customers in his/her home State, via row level security m-Power can filter and display only the customers that the user is allowed to see. This technique allows you to fully implement scalable security solutions. Learn more.Back To Diagram

Override/Customizable Error Messages:
All m-Power templates allow you to modify the default error messages. Most error messages are generic in describing the issue, maybe you need your users to see a more personalized or informative error message. From the application properties developers can change the error message without having to open the code source of the application. Learn more.Back To Diagram

Add Drop-Down List or Lookup List to Text Input Fields:
Add a drop down list or lookup window to your application using m-Painter. These features will allow users to input data by selecting it from a list or lookup windows. This enhances the user experience, simplifies their tasks, and allow for less errors on data input. Learn more about Lookup Windows. Learn more about Dropdowns.Back To Diagram

Add Calendar Widget to Date Inputs:
Using m-Painter developers can add a calendar picker next to a date input field. The date format in the calendar picker can be modified to match the format in the database. This feature will save users time and it will ensure that the date format entered is consistent with the database. Adding a calendar picker will make your application look and feel more professional. Learn more.Back To Diagram

Saved Searches:
For end users running applications, there is a feature that allows them to save the search and come back to it later, saving them time and making it more efficient by saving multiple searches and switching between them with just a click. These searches can be found on the right upper corner of the running application by clicking Options then Saved Searches. Learn more.Back To Diagram

Customize HTML with m-Painter:
m-Power ships with its own HTML editor. This tool, called m-Painter, allows you to modify the HTML code in a very easy way by using a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, where all the graphical modifications are instantly visible. For the advance developers, there is a text editor mode too. You can access the HTML editor by clicking Presentation on the Application Menu. Learn more.Back To Diagram

Control DB Join Type:
When joining tables you can set the join type of the application to be Left Outer Join or Inner Join. An inner join specifies that only records in the primary table with matching records in the secondary table will be displayed.Back To Diagram

Add Row-Level Logical Fields:
m-Power allows you to create a logical field at the database level that is available to all applications. The options are Substring, Concatenation, or UDF (User Defined Function). By creating these files at the dictionary level, they are reusable across the entire dictionary, saving the developer time! Learn more.Back To Diagram

Tablet & Mobile Output:
m-Power allows developers to create applications specifically for PC browser, Tablet, and Smartphone devices. For the user, this means that they can access the same report on their PC, tablet, and smartphone and see a completely different output on each that has been tailor-made for their device. For the developer, it means that they can create and maintain one single application that will create the proper output formats automatically. Learn more.Back To Diagram

SmartLinks:
SmartLinks allow developers to easily link one application (Inquiry, Report, or Maintenance) to any other application, passing key data automatically. An example of this can be an Inquiry or a Report that links to a maintainer to update only an specific record and then redirect back to the list of records. By SmartLinking applications m-Power makes it easy to link applications together to create smooth navigation between web applications. Learn more.Back To Diagram

Ranking Report Features

Dynamic Ranking:
As the name suggests, Ranking Reports are excellent at displaying data based on ranking. Take for example a Ranking Report built over salesperson data. A ranking report could easily be used to determine which salespeople has the top sales or the top commissions. Alternatively, at runtime, end-users can choose to display the bottom ranking, rather than the top.Back To Diagram

Advanced Graphing:
By default, a Ranking Report includes a 3D pie chart graph. This graph is dependent on end-users runtime selections, allowing the graph's data set to change as needed. Developers can customize this graph via m-Painter, for instance changing default colors and graph type.Back To Diagram

Runtime Value Prompt Record Selections:
Instead of only supporting hard coding a value within a record selection, reports also support runtime value prompts. Runtime value prompts allow users to input a value at runtime, creating a dynamic data selection.Back To Diagram

Multiple Output Options:
Ranking Reports have a variety of output options. You can choose whether to run the report to the browser, to Excel, or to email. Additionally, these options can be specified by the developer, or selected by the user at runtime.Back To Diagram

Messaging and Scheduled Task Integration:
This template can be used in combination with the Scheduled and Messaging Task utility. This allows you to schedule running Ranking Reports at off-peak times to avoid slowing down your system. You can also use the utility to email scheduled Ranking Reports, either in the body of an email, or as an attachment.Back To Diagram

Description: Allow developers to give their application a description.

Program Name: This will be the application’s number. By default m-Power uses the letter R (Report) followed by a five digits number. This number is automatically incremented by 10, but can be manually changed.Note: The number must be unique in the Data Dictionary.

Select Only Matching Records: When joining to other tables, you have the option to create a Left Outer Join or and Inner Join. Selecting Yes (inner join) will include only matching records from the joined table. A simple example of this could be a Sales History table that links to a Product Master table. Now imagine some products have been discontinued and subsequently removed from the Product Master table. With an outer join, the discontinued products will still be reported. However, with an inner join, records without matching records in the product master will be omitted from the result set.

Summary or Detail Report: Select whether to display detail (by default), or to not display detail, by choosing summary.

Template: You can select a template by scrolling through the available templates. The templates define the general layout and functionality of the resulting application. This section will list all the available report templates; you will see a small screenshot of what that template looks like at runtime. Learn more about templates.

Here you can select the field that your application will sequence by; you can have multiple sequence fields. You can re-order the sequences to fit your application’s needs. In Ranking Reports, the subtotaling and new page options can be ignored.

Note: Only fields that are set as sequence fields are available as Dimensions at runtime. For instance, imagine you have an application in which you want to view the top ten records by salesperson. In this situation, the salesperson field would need to be a Dimension, and therefore also a sequence field.

Here you will find the settings for all the fields in the application. The options are:

Delete: You can delete fields by clicking the checkbox and clicking Accept. If a field has a red circle with a cross line, that means that the field is being used somewhere else in the application (sequence, calculation, etc.), and, due to this dependency, is not available for deletion.Note: Deleting a field will remove the field from the application only, the table will be unchanged.

Field Name: This is the same name the field has in the table.

Table: The name of the table where that field exists.

Field Description: This is the text that will appear in the column header for that field, you can modify this field to suit your needs. This field will populate with the field description from the table by default, but it can be customized at the application level.

Display: A radio button allows developers to display or hide the field from the output page. There may be situations where a field is needed for calculation purposes, but the field does not need to be displayed at runtime. Note: Non-sequence fields that are set to display will appear in the 'Based on Measure' dropdown, and be available for ranking. If you do not want a field to be available for ranking, set this field to non-display.

Length: Here you can modify the length of the field. m-Power will only allow developers to shorten the length of the field, shortening a fields length will truncate its data. For example, if a field is 10 alpha and it is changed to 5 alpha, now only the first 5 characters will be displayed. The same principle applies to a numeric field, if a numeric field is 8 digits long; changing it to 4 digits long will only display the first 4 digits, and leave out the rest of digits.

Decimals: For numeric fields, you can modify the amount of decimal digits. A numeric field will have the option of changing its decimal length, alpha fields does not have a decimal option, developers can use this as an indicator to check if a field is a numeric or character type.

Numeric Format Code: For numeric fields, you can modify the way the numbers will display, this includes displaying decimals or not, how to display negative numbers, etc. Multiple formats are built in for developers to use, shall you need a different format code, m-Power allows developers to create their own User Defined Format codes; these codes will add logic for common types of fields such as: Currency, Time, or Dates. Accessing the User Defined Format Codes from the Admin section will also allow developers to modify current codes. Learn more.Note: Do not confuse the User Defined Format Code with the User Defined Functions (UDF). The latter is a feature that allows developers to create or incorporate programing functions into m-Power. Learn more about UDFs.

Record Selections can be created over fields from both primary as well as secondary tables. These are the options:

Field: A drop down allows you to select the field you want to filter on.

Relation: A drop down allows you to select a relationship for the filter.

Value: This is the value to compare against. The options are:

Constant Value: A constant value allows you to hard-code any given value into a selection. This value cannot be modified by the end-user at run–time.

Application Field Value: Developers have the option of comparing a value from one field to a value from another field within the same record.

Runtime Value Prompt: This option will create an input within the HTML that will allow users to input a value for the record selection at runtime. Runtime value prompts allow users select data specific to their individual needs.

And/Or: When creating multiple record selections, you have the option to set them as "and" or "or" Example: selection A "and" selection B will display only records that match both selections. Selection A "or" selection B will display records that match one or both selections. Learn more.

Calculations are a very powerful feature of m-Power; with calculations, developers can create logical fields that will apply to the current application only. This can be used to include SQL code in a field, such as cast a numeric field as character, create date conversions, inserting the current date and time, and much more. Learn more.

This feature allows developers to connect m-Power application with their current business logic, or to extend m-Power capabilities by allowing developers to write their own Java, RPG, or SQL programs, and integrating these programs into the applications. m-Power utilizes "locations" to connect the external objects, these locations vary depending on what the external object does and when it should be executed. The following locations are supported in this template: Learn more

*JCALCOBJ This location is used when parameter calculations are present in the application. The external object is called after each row is processed.*JREADRECRD This location will call the external object after each record is processed.*ADVRECSEC This location has been deprecated. Learn more about Row Level security.*STRSEARCH This location has been deprecated.*STRUPBDFT This location has been deprecated.*SELECT This location has been deprecated. Learn more about creating dropdown lists using m-Painter.*RUNVALID This location is used to validate prompt inputs.

SmartLinks allow developers to easily link one application (Retrieval, Report, or Maintenance) to any other application, passing key data automatically. The benefits of this are many, including: creating applications that will allow developers to link a Retrieval to a Maintainer in order to update an specific record passing key parameters automatically. Create a Hover-Over window; create a popup dialog, and many more. By, passing parameters automatically when creating a link in m-Painter, SmartLinks save the developer time by simplifying the process. Learn more.

Note: After performing any changes in the above sections, the application must be recompiled for the changes to load. If the changes are to be displayed at runtime, then the Presentation Layer code (HTML) must be overwritten when recompiling the application.

When a ranking report is opened, users are brought to the prompt page. Here the user needs to select the various options that determine how data is displayed when the report is run.
To begin with, the user must select whether to display the top or bottom records, followed by how many records to display. The third option requires the user to select a dimension. In our example, we will be displaying the top ten teams by home runs. Therefore, our dimension will be team name. The Based on Measure option requires the user to select the measure used to determine ranking. In our example, the measure will be home runs. The last option is to select running this report to HTML or Excel. Once done, click run report.
This brings us to the report. We can see the top ten teams in descending order, based on Home Runs. At the bottom of the page is the graph, which has changed to display the top ton records as well. Note that in our application there are five fields with arrows next to their names. These fields are sortable, however sorting on them will change the application to use that field as the measure for ranking. This is reflect in our graph as well. Finally, end-users can change the options they applied in creating the graph by clicking the 'Make Additional Selections' button.

Web Parameters

Common Parameters — These parameters apply to every template:

Name

Valid Values

Example Value

Default Value

Description

basic

0: Off

1: On

1

0

This parameter allows the app to only display the main content area.

CALCULAXXX

Any URL-encoded value

5000

When a calculation is a parameter calc, you can pass its value across the URL to other mrc applications. Use CALCULA001 for your first calculation, CALCULA002 for your second calculation, and so on, for all your parameter calculations.

Custom Parameters

Any URL-encoded value

33

Freemarker custom parameters can be passed through the URL.

data

0: Off

1: On

1

0

This parameter allows the app to only display the main data table.

debug

0: Off

1: On

2: On & Show Import URLs

1

0

Loads your application with SQL statement and application logic time listed. This is often useful in determining how your dataset was determined and deciding if indexes should be created for this query.

devicetype

pc: Computer

tab: Tablet

mob: Smartphone

tab

pc

This parameter sets the current device type mode for the entire session. While device is automatically seen and set, you can use this to manually change it to a different device type.

FIELD

Any URL-encoded value

23

Applications allow you to pass values directly to any field when it is specified as a sequence key.

help

0: Off

1: On

1

0

This parameter controls whether the parameter listing screen should be displayed for this application or not.

hide_header_footer

0: Show header/footer

1: Hide header/footer

1

0

This parameter controls whether the header and footer are hidden.

impTags

Any positive integer

1

0

This parameter allows the app to only display the HTML inside the associated custom import.

init

0: Off

1: On

1

0

Forces your application to refresh the page from the server. Useful if you are making changes in a development environment but are not seeing your changes.

locale

ar: Arabic

bg: Bulgarian

ca: Catalan

zh: Chinese

cs: Czech

da: Danish

nl: Dutch

en: English

et: Estonian

fi: Finnish

fr: French

de: German

el: Greek

he: Haitian Creole

hi: Hindi

ht: Hebrew

hu: Hungarian

id: Indonesian

it: Italian

ja: Japanese

ko: Korean

lv: Latvian

lt: Lithuanian

no: Norwegian

pl: Polish

pt: Portuguese

ro: Romanian

ru: Russian

sk: Slovak

sl: Slovene

es: Spanish

sv: Swedish

th: Thai

tr: Turkish

uk: Ukrainian

vi: Vietnamese

es

en

This lets you choose which language layer to view for the entire session. Only available when using the m-Power Translate feature.

Web 2.0 Ranking Report with Graph Specific Parameters:

Name

Valid Values

Example Value

Default Value

Description

cur_sort_col

Any field within the application

CUSNO

m-Power uses this option to sort the data by at runtime.

email_cc

Any valid email address

support@mrc-productivity.com

Controls who will be cc'd in the email.

email_send

0: Do not send email

1: Send email

1

0

Controls whether report is emailed.

email_subject

Any URL-encoded value

Urgent

Controls what the subject of the email will be.

email_to

Any valid email address

support@mrc-productivity.com

Controls who the report is emailed to.

graph

0: Off

1: On

1

0

Tells m-Power to only display the graph portion of the application.

outfmt

0: HTML

1: Print Optimized HTML

2: Excel (.xlm)

3: Excel (.xlsx)

4: XML

5: TAB

6: TAB

11: PDF

12: CSV

13: True-Excel

14: Text output

15: Optimized Excel (.xlsx)

12

0

This option allows you to control the format of your report's output.

rptPage

Any valid file in your data dictionary

R00010sAlt.html

The default presentation file

This parameter allows you to have multiple screens per application. Often useful when you need to paint outputs differently, yet still use the same application.

run

0: Display prompt page

1: Display output page with no levels

2: Display output with default levels

5: Display output with only highest subtotal level

6: Display output with highest subtotal and grand total levels

2

0

This option tells your report whether to show a prompt page or not.

RXXX

Any URL-encoded value

23

Replacing XXX with your prompted record selection # (i.e. your first runtime value prompt record selection would be R001). If Range or List relation, separate values with a space.

sort_typ

0: Descending

1: Ascending

0

1

m-Power uses this option to know whether to sort by ascending or descending order.

S_FIELD

0: Off

1: On

1

0

Where FIELD is a sequence key in the app. This option is used with the run parameter. Specifies whether to display the specified subtotal level.